How to use PC on curved paint surfaces?

M

mikebai1990

New member
Just got my order of pads from Autogeek today. Planning to start polishing using my PC for the first time when spring comes around, so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can first.



I have one orange, one white, and one gray Lake Country pad. It seems that the orange pad is very stiff. I understand that this is because it has more cut. My question is how would I use such a pad on curved surfaces of small areas? Eg: The sides of the hood, the sides of the trunk. If I use the PC, only a small area of the pad will be touching the paint surface. Is this okay? I've heard of pads separating because the pad isn't completely on the paint surface. Or is the separation issue not as bad as I think?
 
you should be okay on curved panels , just keep moving..it might be a idea to purchase some 4" pads if you have alot of tricky areas on the car



just dont try and buff any sharp edges
 
You need to keep in mind how much pressure you are applying per square inch. If only part of the pad is touching the paint, you need to reduce the weight you are applying. It helps to reduce the speed as well.
 
Some pads (soft ones) conform better than others (stiff ones) but issues like uneven polishing/gouging/etc. aren't that likely with the PC, especially if the pad is well primed/lubed with product.



With the PC, whatever seems to work best is usually OK as it's *so* gentle that you won't run into serious problems. Noting steveo3002's warning about areas where the paint might be thin, the PC isn't like a rotary, where you have to be *very* careful; avoid those risky spots and just do whatever seems natural. FWIW, I often use the outer edge of the pad and other seemingly risky techniques...you'll quickly get a feel for stuff like that and if you accept the inherent risks then OK; if you *don't* want to accept those risks do such areas by hand.



Yeah, it's risky to give advice like that, and *NO* I don't believe that the PC can't damage paint unless you drop it on the car, but Mikebai1990 seems prone to err on the side of caution.
 
Hehe, you are certainly extremely observant. Accumulator! I'm always afraid to try out new things, so I ask all questions to try to anticipate anything that might happen :) Glad that there are so many knowledgeable people on the forum. I'm somewhat apprehensive because it's my first time using the PC to do polishing, but as everyone has said, I'm positive I'll get the hang of it fairly soon and easily.
 
I agree with mikebai1990, I just ordered my PC and am a little concerned with using it on my vehicles. I have a silver 350Z and a Black Acura TL, so I figure I will give it a shot on my GMC pickup to get the hang of it... I do appreciate everyone sharing their own views on this forum, you guys are a wealth of information.
 
It's definitely a good idea to try it on a crappy car first. You can use it as a test vehicle. However, as many have mentioned, it's pretty hard to damage your car with the PC.
 
mikebai1990 said:
Just got my order of pads from Autogeek today. Planning to start polishing using my PC for the first time when spring comes around, so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can first.



I have one orange, one white, and one gray Lake Country pad. It seems that the orange pad is very stiff. I understand that this is because it has more cut. My question is how would I use such a pad on curved surfaces of small areas? Eg: The sides of the hood, the sides of the trunk. If I use the PC, only a small area of the pad will be touching the paint surface. Is this okay? I've heard of pads separating because the pad isn't completely on the paint surface. Or is the separation issue not as bad as I think?
Click to expand...



Just go slow on the curves and dont apply that much pressure, i wrinkled the paint on the corner of a rear bumper before.
 
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